Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and Greg Clark

Thursday 12th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

12. What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the location of the UK’s first space port.

[The Minister for Universities, Science and Cities (Greg Clark)]

I met Transport and Defence Ministers yesterday to discuss progress on delivering the UK’s first space port. They are both part of the cross-governmental team taking forward the national space flight agenda. The Government have undertaken a public consultation on the eight potential locations, including Machrihanish in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a UK space port. Our response to that consultation will be published shortly.

[Mr Reid]

I thank the Minister for that answer. A space port would be a great boost to the British economy. Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway and all the facilities of a Royal Air Force base, and being far from densely populated areas, is obviously the clear choice for the space port. I urge the Government to go on to the next phase of the decision-making process quickly and choose Machrihanish as soon as possible.

[Greg Clark]

I assure my hon. Friend that we will be taking the first part of his advice and proceeding quickly, but it would be wrong to pre-empt the outcome of that consultation and to nominate Machrihanish from the Dispatch Box today.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and Greg Clark

Thursday 20th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

19. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on proposals for Machrihanish to become the site of the UK's first spaceport.

[The Minister for Universities, Science and Cities (Greg Clark)]

The Government set out in July their ambition to start hosting commercial spaceflights from the UK by 2018. The activity is being driven by a cross-Government team that reports to me as well as to Ministers in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport. We have undertaken a public consultation on the potential locations—including the one in my hon. Friend’s constituency—and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a spaceport. Our response will be published shortly.

[Mr Reid]

I thank the Minister for his answer. When the Government take the decision on the location of Britain’s first spaceport, will they take into account the fact that Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway, all the facilities of the former RAF base and a location that is far from densely populated areas, satisfies the criteria perfectly and is clearly the obvious choice for Britain’s first spaceport?

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend has taken the opportunity to make a strong case for Machrihanish. He will not be surprised to hear that some of his hon. Friends make equally persuasive cases for their own constituencies. It shows that this competition has captured the public imagination and is a great one to have been launched.